


Core Strength

by Elysandra



Category: Sanctuary (TV)
Genre: F/M, UST, Yoga
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-07
Updated: 2020-11-07
Packaged: 2021-03-08 19:27:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 477
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27441931
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Elysandra/pseuds/Elysandra
Summary: Yoga is not as easy as it looks. (It does not look easy. But it's easy to look at with the right person^^)
Relationships: Helen Magnus/Nikola Tesla
Comments: 2
Kudos: 6
Collections: Tiny Bingo





	Core Strength

**Author's Note:**

  * For [tinknevertalks](https://archiveofourown.org/users/tinknevertalks/gifts).
  * Inspired by [Of Sequins and Scalpels](https://archiveofourown.org/works/26867815) by [tinknevertalks](https://archiveofourown.org/users/tinknevertalks/pseuds/tinknevertalks). 



> Another fanfic for tinknevertalks' wonderful Strictly Come Dancing!AU "Of Sequins and Scalpels" - this one actually takes place in the 'verse. It also did NOT turn out the way I expected. But it is what it is, I guess. Who knows, I might make a second attempt at some point XD Hope you enjoy nonetheless! (Made easier by the fact that you do not know what I expected Lol)  
> Also: Go read OSaS if you haven't already!! It's so much fun!  
> Also also: Thanks to Kat for the second opinion <3

~~~

She isn’t exactly sure how they got to this point. When she signed up for this, she had expected her foreseeable future to be filled with lots of dancing, and interviews, and choreography drills. Even with regularly trying not to growl during harsh and certainly not always fair comments from the judges, in front of numerous cameras, watched by millions...

Helen had expected all of that.

But somehow, her days are suddenly filled with new routines that seem only faintly concerned with actual dancing but very much concerned with time spent with Nikola. There are their regular runs (endurance training), their shared meals (building trust ~~and deepening their friendship~~ ), the pub nights with the other dancers (social interaction and an outlet after the adrenaline rush) and - since that annoying but not exactly unwarranted comment about ‘flopping onto Nikola’ - yoga sessions (to improve her core strength) before each training. Or rather, before the waltzing before each actual training. 

So yes, all of them have _reasons_ , she supposes. But she certainly hadn’t expected them.And she finds herself rather unprepared for how much she enjoys each of them. Even - though it doesn’t feel that way right now ~~it does~~ \- Yoga. The Tesla way.

She enjoyed watching him at first, discovering yoga actually had its perks when doing it with the right partner. Who knew?

That had changed rather quickly, though. ~~She still enjoys watching him.~~

Nowadays, Yoga the Tesla way consists of Nikola putting her into positions that look doable, _should_ be doable - but are pushing her to her limits thanks to his constant verbal poking.

Like right now.

“Leg _up_ , Helen!”

He isn’t even looking at her when he says that, and she would roll her eyes at that if she didn’t need all her attention to keep her balance right now.

“My leg _is_ up,” she gives back through gritted teeth. It’s not fair that he seems to be holding all the positions without much of an effort while she is constantly struggling to fulfil his expectations.

“Can it go any higher?”

His tone perfectly fits the rhetorical question, and Helen doesn’t deem it worthy of an answer. Nikola doesn’t need one, anyway. As expected, he leaves his position a moment later and rises from the mat in one graceful, fluid movement. One, two, three quick steps and he’s standing next to her, meeting her eyes in the mirror.

Helen scowls back at him, at his unimpressed expression. She doesn’t need to see his hand in the reflection to know what he’s doing. It’s called ‘routine’ for a reason, after all.

“Press your calf against my hand,” he orders, and Helen growls and forces her muscles to comply, all the while trying to ignore just _what_ , exactly, makes Yoga the Tesla way so disconcertingly enjoyable. And effective.

One thing is for sure: The ‘Tesla’ part is key.

~~~ 

**Author's Note:**

> Written for my Tiny Bingo prompts 'Endurance' and 'Ritual'.


End file.
